Born in Fort Lewis, Wash., in 1931, Pulte attended and graduated from a nursing school in Houston and soon after enlisted in the Army in 1954 as a registered nurse. She was mostly stationed in Germany and quickly achieved the rank of first lieutenant.

While in Germany, she met her late husband, James Pulte, in 1956. Her son said she was going to re-enlist that year but instead got engaged.

"Their parents said they were both good people and should get married, so they did." Pulte said.

After getting married and leaving the military, the couple moved to Troy, Mich., where all of their children were born from 1957 to 1967. Pulte was then a housewife as her husband worked.

In 1980, when her husband decided to retire, the family relocated to Apopka.

"Dad wanted to retire somewhere that mom could golf and find a nice place to volunteer," Pulte said.

And that place was Loaves and Fishes of Apopka, which started in 1984. Pulte was there for the humble beginnings.

"I met Mary Anne 28 years ago when we both volunteered when this place was only an old house," said friend Diann Auker of Longwood. "There was a lot to be desired then."

But Pulte always had a vision of how many families the place would eventually help. And she met every challenge and family that entered with a smile.

"She always had the warmest, sweetest personality and truly cared about our clients and went the extra mile to help," Auker said. "She brought Christian literature and the Daily Word, and she purchased them for all of our clients."

But Pulte didn't just wear a smile to brighten someone's day. She participated in every endeavor — from food drives to walkathons.

"She made sure Loaves and Fishes served more families," Pulte said. "When I moved her to help her with her health, she still worked as a caregiver. I couldn't even keep up with her."

She stopped volunteering as frequently after March, but she still helped where she could.

And after her passing, her children keep her volunteering spirit alive.

"All of my brothers and sisters have all found a way to give back," Pulte said. "I have donated all of my time to a hospice in Detroit and have volunteered for 15 years."